In our evaluation of Vampie Survivors, we famous the way it looks like “you are at all times unlocking some cool new toy or character to mess around with.” Sadly, that is not actually true. After dozens of hours, most gamers will be capable to discover each secret and unlock each one of many recreation quite a few unlockable characters, maps, and weapons.
The sport does not immediately lose its hypnotic, epilepsy-inducing enchantment at that time, after all. However as soon as you’ve got lastly met the entire recreation’s many “official” objectives, it turns into a bit tougher to give you new self-imposed challenges.
Enter Legacy of the Moonspell, the primary piece of official paid DLC for Vampire Survivors. Whereas we welcome any new content material for certainly one of our favourite video games of the 12 months (particularly when it is provided for simply $2), this addition feels slightly restricted, particularly for a recreation that has seen dozens of free updates since its 2021 launch in Early Entry.
Mountains of insanity
Because the title implies, a major spotlight of this DLC is its new stage, Mt. Moonspell. The builders at Poncle boast that this map is “25 instances greater than different maps in Vampire Survivors, nevertheless it does not really feel that approach in observe. That stated, Mt. Moonsepll feels rather more intricately designed than most earlier Vampire Survivors maps.
On different Vampire Survivors maps, attending to a selected merchandise in your map is normally only a matter of strolling within the right cardinal path for some time. That is not essentially true on Mt. Moonspell, the place you are more likely to run right into a cliff edge or impassable partitions that drive you to double again and discover a new approach via maze-like corridors. There are many lifeless ends to get trapped in (or to entice encroaching enemies), in addition to a number of new “indoor” areas, the place getting into a door causes the roof to fade away to allow you to see the chambers inside.
Whereas there are a number of new enemy sorts in Mt. Moonspell, most of them quantity to fodder that is tough, if not unimaginable, to distinguish from present enemies. That does not apply to the stage’s handful of mini-bosses, although; large beasts with quick, ranged assaults that require your whole deft dodging and positioning ability.
Wild weapons
The Moonspell DLC’s new weapons are a blended bag. I particularly appreciated the “108 Bocce,” a set of eight brown balls that rotate round your character in a hypnotic semi-spiral, whipping into any foe that dares to get too shut. The Silver Wind equally sends tiny white particle whizzing simply above your character in an particularly satisfying sample that I by no means tire of gazing at. I additionally loved the 4 Seasons, a weapon that sends significantly flashy fireworks explosions to the 4 corners of the display screen, forcing you to place enemies fastidiously at a distance.
Summon Evening is a strong new weapon that tears a number of vertical gashes down the display screen barely above your character’s place, scorching any enemy that wanders into their persistent burning. I discovered it slightly irritating to place, although, particularly in conditions the place the setting made it tough to lure enemies above me. The Evening Sword is way much less fascinating, performing seemingly automated slashes on any enemy that will get too shut (and probably stealing some well being within the course of).
My least favourite new weapon was the Mirage Gown, which leaves doubtlessly explosive ghost copies of your character behind commonly as you progress. I discovered it exceptionally tough to make use of this potential successfully, as these ghostly clones solely affected a small portion of the encroaching enemy swarm close to my earlier place. I did benefit from the advanced type of the weapon, although, which lets any projectiles confuse enemies in a approach that makes them wander in semi-random instructions, opening up loads of open house even in probably the most troublesome hordes.
